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Monday, May 5, 2014

A Big Fat Question Mark: Another Challenge from the Spooner-Hardy Album


"To Nelly with Mr. Leaman Harrison's [W. Seaman Thomson's] best love," 1868-69

Here I am with another handwriting mystery for you.  This carte de visite was taken at Asplet & Green on Jersey and dates from the same period as the previous photograph in my last post, The Hardy-Spooner Album: To Betsy Baker with Compliments, 1868-69. 
I think it's addressed, "To Nelly with Mr. Leaman Harrison's best love," [W. Seaman Thomson] but I have my doubts about the surname.  And possibly the first name.  I am fairly confident about "Nelly."  What do you see there?
So now we have two carte de visites from Asplet & Green, photographed around the same time, address to two different women (presumably), one named Betsy Baker and the other, Nelly.  One is signed from Mrs.  M---- and the other from this fellow.  What, if anything, is the connection?
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3 comments:

  1. Intense GuyMay 5, 2014 at 6:41 AM

    It looks like W Seaman Thomson to me.

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  2. Intense GuyMay 5, 2014 at 7:00 AM

    I think this might be William Seaman Thomson born c. 1841.

    ReplyDelete
  3. TheArchivistMay 5, 2014 at 9:09 AM

    I do believe you are right, Iggy! Thanks for the second pair of eyes on this. I've been reading the first scribble as "Mr." and now I can clearly see it is a "W." I'm heading off to a Gen. meeting right now, but I will have to learn more about Mr. William Seaman Thomson when I get back.

    ReplyDelete